This Application claims the benefit of Japanese Application No. 10-222010 filed on Aug. 5, 1998, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flat panel display, such as a plasma display or a liquid crystal display and, more particularly, to a structure for mounting a module such as a driver circuit to the display panel of such a plasma display or liquid crystal display.
2. Description of the Related Art
Flat panel displays (FPDs) such as plasma display panels (PDPs) and liquid crystal displays (LCDs) can provide a large-area display without needing a large footprint. Because of this and other advantages, flat panel displays have been developed earnestly in recent years.
In such a flat panel display (e.g., a PDP or an LCD), electrode arrays are disposed inside a base plate. A driving voltage is applied to these electrode arrays from a driver circuit via connector terminals to create a frame of an image on a display panel.
FIG. 8 shows a structure for mounting a module such as a driver circuit to the display panel of a conventional PDP. The driver circuit 2 applies a driving voltage to electrode arrays (not shown) in a PDP glass panel 1. The driver circuit 2 is mounted to the back surface of a chassis 3 that supports the glass panel 1 from behind it and dissipates heat from the panel 1.
The driver circuit 2 is connected with the PDP panel glass panel 1 by a flexible printed circuit (FPC) 4, curved along a side surface of the chassis 3. The driver circuit 2 includes a printed circuit board 2B mounted on a heat-dissipating plate 2A and an IC chip 2C. The driver circuit 2 is connected with the flexible printed circuit 4 by connecting the flexible printed circuit 4 with the printed circuit board 2B via anisotropic conductive film (ACF). A circuit board 5 controls the driver circuit 2 and is connected with the printed circuit board 2B of the driver circuit 2 via a flexible connector 6.
Although the benefits of a flat panel display such as a PDP is that it has a relatively small depth and a small footprint while providing a large display, the conventional structure for mounting the driver circuit 2 requires that all of the components of the driver circuit 2 are disposed behind the chassis 3, which makes the display device thicker. Furthermore, the conventional structure connecting the driver circuit 2 and the circuit board 5 is complex, thus necessitating a large number of assembly steps. In addition, in order to connect the PDP glass panel 1 and the driver circuit 2, the flexible printed circuit 4 must be curved around the chassis until it becomes parallel to the panel 1 at the rear side from the front side of the PDP. To prevent the flexible printed circuit from bending during this operation, the curved portion must have a considerable diameter. Therefore, the flexible printed circuit projects laterally for the PDP glass panel 1. This increases the width of the PDP accordingly, rendering the PDP to be larger, and increasing the length of the flexible printed circuit 4. This induces noises and increases the possibility of breaks in metal lines.
The present invention has been made to solve the foregoing problems associated with the prior art structure for mounting a module such as a driver circuit of a flat panel display.
It is a first object of the present invention to provide a module-mounting structure for use in a flat panel display to reduce the depth and the width of the display.
It is a second object of the invention to provide a module-mounting structure that neither induces noises nor introduces breaks in metal lines.
It is a third object of the invention to provide a module-mounting structure having a simplified structure that requires fewer assembly steps.
A first embodiment of the present invention provides a driver module-mounting structure for use in a flat panel display and is intended to achieve the aforementioned first and second objects. The flat panel display has a display panel, a chassis member for supporting the display panel from behind, and a driver module for displaying an image on the display panel. A flexible printed circuit connects the display panel and the driver module and has a mounting portion to be mounted to the display panel. The flexible printed circuit extends from its mounting portion along the outer wall of the chassis member in the rearward direction of the display panel. Components of the driver modules are disposed between the flexible printed circuit and the outer wall of the chassis member and are connected with the flexible printed circuit.
The driver module-mounting structure in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention for use in a flat panel display has a flexible printed circuit that connects a display panel and a driver module for displaying an image on the display panel. A chassis member holds the rear side of the display panel. The flexible printed circuit extends along the outer wall of the chassis member from its mounting portion, substantially perpendicular to the display panel behind it.
All or some of the components of the driver module are placed in a space formed between the portion of the flexible printed circuit extending along the outer wall of the chassis member and the outer wall of the chassis member. The components of the driver module are connected with the surface of the flexible printed circuit that is opposite to the outer wall of the chassis member.
In the first embodiment of the invention as described above, the driver module displays an image on the display panel by applying a driving voltage to the display panel. The components of this driver module are arranged at the outer wall of the chassis located on fringes of the display panel, instead of at the rear side of the chassis supporting the display panel as in the conventional display. Therefore, the depth of the flat panel display can be smaller than that of the conventional flat panel display. Since the components of the driver module are positioned in the space formed between the flexible printed circuit and the outer wall of the chassis member, neither the width nor the height of the flat panel display is increased, in spite of the placement of this driver module.
Furthermore, it is not necessary to bend the flexible printed circuit toward the rear side of the chassis from the front side of the display panel as much as compared with the prior art display. The diameter of the curved portion, when the flexible printed circuit is curved, can be smaller than in the conventional display. Consequently, the width and the height of the flat panel display can be reduced. Moreover, the flexible printed circuit itself also can be smaller such that the flexible printed circuit does not induce noises and there is less danger of breaks in metal lines.
A driver module-mounting structure in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention for use in a flat panel display has the general configuration of the first embodiment as described above. To achieve the first and third objects described above, the components of the driver module that are located between the flexible printed circuit and the outer wall of the chassis member are made to abut against the outer wall of the chassis member.
In the driver module-mounting structure in accordance with the second embodiment of the invention for use in the flat panel display, the components of the driver modules bear against a metallic chassis acting as a heat-dissipating plate or sheet for the display panel. The chassis also serves as a heat-dissipating plate for the driver module. Therefore, the second embodiment of the invention yields the advantages of the first embodiment of the invention. In addition, any structure for dissipating heat from the driver module can be dispensed with, such that the flat panel display structure can be made simpler.
A driver module-mounting structure in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention for use in the flat panel display has the configuration of the aforementioned second embodiment of the invention. In addition, to achieve the first and third objects described above, the components of the driver module bear against the outer wall of the chassis member via a heat-dissipating sheet member. In the driver module-mounting structure in accordance with the third embodiment of the invention transfer of heat from the components of the driver module to the chassis member is promoted by the heat-dissipating sheet member. This can further simplify the structure for dissipating heat from the driver module.
A module-mounting structure in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention for use in the flat panel display has the configuration of the first embodiment described above. To achieve the third object described above, it further has a connector member for connecting other components of the driver module with the flexible printed circuit. The connector member is located on the back surface of the chassis member. The connector member has a pressure contact terminal pressed against the end portion of the flexible printed circuit, extending along the outer wall of the chassis member. As a result, the connector member is connected with the flexible printed circuit. In this embodiment of the invention, the pressure contact terminal of the connector terminal is pressed against the rear end of the flexible printed circuit extending along the outer wall of the chassis member, to connect with the flexible printed circuit.
Accordingly, in the fourth embodiment of the present invention, the connector member and the flexible printed circuit can be connected in one-touch operation during assembly of the flat panel display. Therefore, the flat panel display can be assembled with less number of steps than in a conventional display.
A module-mounting structure in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the invention for use in the flat panel display has the configuration of the first embodiment of the invention described above. In addition, to achieve the second object as described above, a support member that is fixed to the chassis member bears against at least the surface of the flexible printed circuit, opposite to the surface pushed against the pressure contact terminal of the connector member. In this embodiment, the portion of the flexible printed circuit connected with the connector member is held by the support member that is located on the opposite side of the flexible printed circuit from the connector member and securely mounted to the chassis. Hence, the flexible printed circuit can resist the pushing force of the pressure contact terminal of the connector member, and there is no danger of breaks in metal lines.
A driver module-mounting structure in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the present invention for use in the flat panel display has the configuration of the fifth embodiment of the invention. In addition, to achieve the third object described above, the aforementioned support member is fixedly mounted to the chassis by engagement of resilient hook portions formed on the support member with engaging portions of the chassis member. In this embodiment of the invention described above, the support member holding at least the portion of the flexible printed circuit connected with the connector member is mounted to the chassis by elastic engagement of the hook portions of the support member with the engaging portions of the chassis member. Therefore, they can be assembled in one-touch operation. This can reduce the number of assembly operations.
A driver module-mounting structure in accordance with a seventh embodiment of the present invention is for use in the flat panel display and based on the configuration of the first embodiment. To achieve the first object described above, a plasma display is used as the flat panel display, and the components of the driver module take the form of a semiconductor integrated circuit for applying a driving voltage to the electrode arrays in the display panel of the plasma display. In this embodiment of the invention, the semiconductor integrated circuit for applying a driving voltage to the electrode arrays of the display panel is located on fringes of the display panel. In the past, the semiconductor integrated circuit has been positioned behind the display panel of the plasma display. Accordingly, the comparatively small depth required for the display can be further reduced, while the width or the height can also be decreased.
Other objects and features of the invention will appear in the course of the description thereof, which follows.